SafePlants

Clethra alnifolia: Coastal Sweetpepperbush

Clethra alnifolia, commonly known as coastal sweetpepperbush or summersweet, is a deciduous shrub appreciated for its fragrant summer flowers and ecological value. Other common names include Coastal pepperbush, Coastal sweet pepper, Alderleaf pepperbush, Alderleaf clethra, Clethra, and Summer sweet.

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

• Scientific Name: Clethra alnifolia
• Family: Clethraceae (White Alder Family)
• Genus: Clethra
• Rank: Species
• Synonyms: Summersweet
• Variety: Clethra alnifolia var. tomentosa

Distribution and Habitat

• Native to eastern North America.
• Found in the coastal plain and outer piedmont of Virginia.
• Ranges from Nova Scotia and Maine southward to Florida and west to Texas.
• Common shrub of the Coastal Plain.
• Typically found in coastal swamps, wet marshes, stream banks, and seashores.
• Prefers wet sites, often in sandy soils.
• Also found in woods and coastal river floodplains.
• Frequently found in southern New England.

Ecological Role

• Primarily a member of the tall shrub layer of coastal swamps.
• Important for erosion control due to its suckering growth habit, forming thickets.
• The flowers attract butterflies.
• Provides habitat for beetles.

Morphological Characteristics

• Deciduous shrub growing to 2.5 meters (8 feet) in height and width.
• Upright, multi-stemmed shrub.
• Produces racemes of white to pinkish flowers in summer.
• Flowers are approximately 3mm wide.
• Fragrant, white or pink terminal flowers.
• Blooms from August to September.

Coastal sweetpepperbush is hardy to zone (UK) 3. It is a member of the pepperbush family, Clethraceae.

Further Information

• See more about Botany at Go Botany.
• Fact sheet available at http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=CLAL3 (includes distribution).
• Distribution, occurrence, and ecological characteristics available at http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/shrub/cl.
• Additional information can be found at the USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA SCS.